no, they cannot have fake nails in the pre-op area. no nail polish, no fake nails, clean, short, nails are less likely to pass onto other patients those creatures that grow below them. This can affect your hand hygiene with joint commission. there is zero tolerance for bad hygiene.

Any direct care giver in our medical center is not allowed to wear artificial nails. This means floor nurses too.

Sally Wenning (OR Manager/Supervisor) at
May 10, 2016 (11:00 am)

See the link and these guidelines - they provide a justification
http://www.icid.salisbury.nhs.uk/

2.1 All personnel entering an operating theatre should wear green scrub tops and trousers, provided freshly laundered by the Trust. These must be changed daily and whenever visibly soiled.

2.2 Footwear should be antistatic and washable, and should be worn only in the theatre department if possible. Shoes should be fully enclosed to provide protection from spillages and accidentally dropped equipment. Each staff member is responsible for cleaning their own shoes.

2.3 Hair should be completely covered by a disposable or washable hat, this should be donned before scrubs to prevent contamination of clean scrubs by staff hair.

2.4 Jewellery cannot only harbour bacteria, but also be a hazard in theatres. Plain wedding bands are permitted, although it is recommended that they are removed before hand antisepsis (scrubbing) wherever possible. Earrings should not be worn, as they could potentially fall into a wound.

2.5 Fingernails should be kept clean, short and free from nail polish. Short nails are less likely to puncture gloves or harm a patient during transfer. False nails should not be worn as these have been shown to harbour micro organisms, even after hand washing, and can inhibit effective hand washing.

2.6 Theatre staff with open cuts, wounds or skin breaks should cover these with a waterproof dressing. If staff have ongoing skin conditions such as eczema or similar, an Occupational Health Department referral should be considered before participation in exposure prone procedures.

2.7 Personal hygiene must be of a high standard

Jose Cota

Jose O Cota (Other) at
May 10, 2016 (1:54 am)

CMS checked our Nurses in all perioperative areas for fake nails. You will get sited fro infection control violation.